Prevent "Peaceful Evolution"

An important strategic idea proposed by Mao Zedong.

The so-called "peaceful evolution" refers to the use of political, ideological and economic means by Western imperialist forces, backed by their strong military power, to infiltrate socialist countries in order to induce them to "disintegrate from within" and restore the capitalist system. This was put forward by Dulles, an American anti-communist strategist.

Mao Zedong was keenly aware of the danger of the "peaceful evolution" of the Communist Party and the people's power by the imperialist forces. In November 1959, he said that what Dulles meant by peaceful transformation was to transform our countries, to engage in subversive activities, and to transform them internally to conform to his ideology, and Dulles' peaceful evolution had a certain social basis in socialist countries. In December of the same year, he said, "What is the strategy of the enemy?

(1) The flag of war, the building of missiles, the building of bases, preparing to destroy socialism by the methods of war.” That's the first method.

(2) The flag of peace, cultural exchanges, personnel exchanges, preparing to destroy socialism by corrupting and evolving methods. That’s the second method.

In June 1964, he further pointed out that imperialism said that there was no hope for our first and second generations, but there was hope for the third and fourth generations. “Do the words of imperialism work? I don't want it to, but it may work.”

Mao Zedong believed that the key to preventing and opposing imperialist "peaceful evolution" was to improve the socialist cause in China, especially to improve the construction of the CPC itself. To this end, it was necessary to consolidate the economic basis of socialism, to bring the cadres into harmony with the masses, to oppose the specialization of cadres, to prevent the formation of a privileged class within the Party and among its cadres, and to fight resolutely against corruption.

At the same time, "we must train the successors of the revolution." As long as millions of qualified successors to the socialist cause grow up gradually in the practice of struggle, the imperialist forces will be completely bankrupt in their attempt to pin their hopes for "peaceful evolution" on the third and fourth generations of China.

In the new period of Reform and Opening-up and modernization, Deng Xiaoping inherited this strategic idea from Mao Zedong. He clearly pointed out that "the West is fighting a war without smoke and mirrors", "that is, the peaceful evolution of socialist countries." He emphasized the importance of "upholding socialism and preventing peaceful evolution" and firmly believed that as long as Chinese socialism did not fall, socialism would always stand in the world.